RAOC KC strange
 

I don't know if anybody has noticed the KC RAOC badge that's gone up for auction ? I was drawn to the image of the rear and the way the slider was attached. Similar to the way one of the bladed anodised badges is made. The seller also shows his own badge which is the same. My KC RAOC certainly isn't like that,standard way, slider soldered at right angles to the back of the badge. I can't recall seeing one ever done like the badge shown . The badge for sale does appear genuine though. Comments please.

Mike

I suppose I had better comment as it is me selling this badge. As I said in the listing it is the 3rd one I've seen like this, the last one I had I sold to another forum member and before I did so I sent pictures to Chris M for his comments. I have attached a picture below of mine and the one I sold to the other forum member. These 2 and the one I have listed are identical and they do not look like they are repairs, if they are repairs then they are identical. Difficult to take a picture end on of the straight cut part of the slider but on 2 of them you could see that the anodising had gone over the flat part. I have added a couple of pictures which may show that but I will try and get more pics in better light.

Paddy

Hi Guys,

I never found this badge, in official doco, to have been officially authorised for issue.

However, I do comment on it in pages 4 and 5 of my book together with images of it. I believe that they were made by Marples and Beasley in the very early 1950's. I doubt if they are repaired badges as such an action, in my experience, is well neigh on impossible. Note: there are no signs of discolouring around any 'repair' site.

Regards,

Chris

I have been told by a A/A dealer that there are 2 variants of the RAOC a/a badge.

Indeed there are of the 1949 Patten badge and may well be late 1940's manufacture of a trails basis, and I describe this one as a 'Shepherds Crook' fixing so as to have a larger bonding area, and have also seen a few, in fact I have one. The other style is the 'right angle' fixing.

Marples and Beasley is a likely candidate as they produced a lot of the first issue 'All Brass' and then 'Bi Metal' (nickel shield bonded to badge) to the same style of crown.

It was because earlier badges (and this is a very early example) were not fixing properly from experience with the RAOC 'Wide Tonanti' (1947 Pattern) trails badge. Another method was a riveted brass slider I have seen on QC RAOC anno badges (T&S)

P.S. I have been told that this 'Shepherds Crook' can be found on other badges as well such as RASC?

If we are talking of different badges, I believe there are two versions of the KC RAOC cap-badge in Agonised Ally. These are the Pre-1949 and Post 1949 versions.

The pre-1949 badge is extremely rare and none are known among existing collections. A chap called, I think, R Butterfield (If you are still out there, please forgive me if I have got your name wrong!) came to my house in Farnborough, during the late 1980s, to show both the pre and post-1949 badges. But I have lost contact and have never seen another since.

The post 1949 badge, also a rarity and the original subject of this thread, has two variants. The actual badge is the same, but the sliders are different. One is a hairpin type and the other is with a standard 90° fixing to the badge.

Awra best to all

William

William,
that was probably Rick Butterfield ex RA and then a BIA looking after married quarters in the Hampshire area. Rick had a large collection of anodised badges of all types. I was last in contact in the late 1990s.

Tim

Thanks Tim, that's great to have your corroboration. I wonder where Rick is these days?

William

I think the thread has cleared up my query. Thank you all. I'm now feeling awful because Chris Cunniffe now has another badge to find. Sorry Chris.

Was talking about this very subject with fellow RAOC collectors re the rarity or indeed existence of the 1947 Pattern RAOC Anodised Badge which was reported to be worn by a RAOC platoon within (15?) Company, Piddington Camp, COD Bicester in Oxfordshire in the late 40's anecdotally reported to be in 2 styles, Slider & Lugs with them being withdrawn as being of poor quality and being to soft with fixings breaking off, and of course the change over to the 1949 Pattern RAOC Badge very soon after. Even this badge was produced in very small trials quantity's!

I have been unable to find any documentation of this Troop Trial at all. How many would have been produced I wonder? not many, and probably pressed from the same die as normal GM badges at that!

The name Rick Butterfield came up as having the only known example of this rare beast! of which I have never ever even seen a photo of! But I live in hope. It was further rumoured that this badge changed hands within the last 15 years to whom I do not know.

William and myself have discussed this subject Mike. I've certainly never seen one or for sale.
The Devon Yeomanry Rifle Volunteers badge I have,was produced as samples only. I have the letter that states 6 were made. I've only seen an image of one besides the example I own. I don't have a clue how many are in the hands of collectors.

RAOC K/C
 

There is another exsample of a K/C on E Bay now all silver with gold centre

G-G

I think this is the standard KC version but the gold body just looks very pale and the silver shield has been painted gold.

Paddy

RAOC K/C
 

No Paddy It is silver I had hold of it at the dealers house but if you look close at it poorly made

Hi Paddy, like you I thought it was a light gold rather than silver, but after talking to Richy (Gus-Gemma) last night I now know it to be cast silver, and if you look closely under the magnifier you will see distortions in the wording as well as the cannons. Why the shield has been painted gold/bronze is beyond me.

Sitting at £21.00 at the moment which is probably its level as a curio but will not be surprised if it goes higher.